


The Red House

by gogglor



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, In hindsight the title sounds like this is a horror fic but it's actually a Matilda reference, Lots of sad feels stuff in the middle but this has a happy ending I swear, Other book and movie references, Science Experiments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:27:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26034178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gogglor/pseuds/gogglor
Summary: Vision seeks a scientific answer for the disaster in the airfield, and heads to Stark Tower to work it out. Wanda's involved too. Takes place just after Civil War.
Relationships: Wanda Maximoff/Vision
Comments: 16
Kudos: 25





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of the unfinished fics I've unearthed while I've been in quarantine, and I figured it's high time I finished and published it. I started writing it just after Civil War came out, so it's not *precisely* canon-consistent with the events afterward, but it's close enough to fit with a few handwaves.

“Please enact entrance code for unauthorized visitor,” repeated Friday, unperturbed.

“Unauthorized?” said Vision incredulously, “I was born here less than a year ago!”

“The place of your birth is immaterial, Jar-- Mr. Vision.” said Friday, “And if you phase through the door I will have to alert Mr. Stark to the presence of an intruder.”

Vision was standing outside Stark tower’s jet entrance. This was his first time coming back to the tower without another Avenger present and it had not occurred to him that he may never have been formally entered into the tower security system. That’s in spite of literally  _ being _ the tower security system this time last year. There was a secret code to get in, of course, but...

Vision sighed. “You’re really going to make me do this, aren’t you?”

“I’m not making you do anything, sir,” replied Friday graciously “You’re welcome to leave if you like.”

Vision squared his shoulders. His brain might be hyper-advanced, but not so advanced that he had no weaknesses. Pride was one of them. But, he needed to get inside. And he knew if he called an Avenger to let him in the tower, they’d probably make him enact the entrance code anyway. Humans could be so ridiculous.

“You put--” started Vision.

“Access code is not a spoken one, sir.” said Friday.

“Yes, I know. You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“You used to, sir.”

She had him there. Vision put his right foot forward and began to sing and dance.

_ “You put your right foot in, _

_ you put your right foot out--” _

At that moment, Jarvis looked through the thick glass doors and saw Pepper Potts had just appeared.  


“Oh thank god,” said Vision, and he began pounding on the glass “Pepper! Pepper please let me in!”

Pepper looked up from her phone. He could see her mouth form the word “Vision!” and some commands to Friday. The doors slid open with a satisfying  _ ssshhhhhk. _

“Thank you, Ms. Potts” said Vision. “Could you kindly enter my credentials into the Star Tower security system?”

“Oh you’re in there already, Vision,” said Pepper with a chuckle, as they walked up the stairs to the common room, “Tony’s making a collection of the entire Avengers crew performing the hokey pokey. I think he’s trying to make a viral video or something. You should see Thor’s, it was… enthusiastic.”

“Of course, I should have guessed,” said Vision, reaching out to shake her hand, “It’s good to see you again, Ms. Potts.”

“Pepper, please,” replied Pepper, “and to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Ah, yes,” said Vision, shifting his weight uncomfortably, “well you see...”

Where to start? The small malfunctions? The fiasco at the airfield? His possible imminent mortality?

“Mmmm, I’m guessing whatever it is, it’s complicated,” said Pepper, letting go of his hand, “Well, you know you’re welcome here whenever you like. Same rules as always - let Friday know when there’s an emergency, no sparring in the house, and I’d like to add a request of my own that any science experiments keep explosions to a minimum. We actually do work sometimes in the offices downstairs.”

“Of course. Are you staying here as well?” said Vision.

“No, Tony and I are a couple of floors down. I’ve only come up here to get something, then I’ll be out of your h--” Pepper swallowed her words as she glanced up at Vision’s head, “your business. Friday can reach me if you need me.”

“Thank you, Pepper. And if you need anything from me, please do not hesitate to ask.”

As Pepper left, Vision walked over to the bar, leaned against it, and took a deep breath.

“Friday?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I want you to imagine for a moment that you’ve been transmuted into physical form through a combination of a playboy billionaire’s science project, a Norse god’s lightning powers, and what can most simply be described as a magic rock implanted into your forehead.”

“Very difficult to imagine, sir,” said Friday sarcastically and Vision stifled a laugh. He’d only known her for a little while but she was much funnier than he’d ever been.

“Imagine it anyway. Imagine your new body combines your ability to process a billion minute details at lightning speed with the unbridled power of an infinity stone. Imagine that your mind is more powerful than any mind has ever been and a focused thought could shake the universe. Now imagine you have all of this power, all of this capacity to do anything you set your mind to… and then one day, you become distracted. So distracted, you make a… quite tragic mistake. A miscalculation.”

“That sounds impossible, sir,” said Friday, “So long as all variables are correct and present I can’t miscalculate, and neither can you. And neither the lightning nor the stone should’ve changed that.”

“Precisely,” said Vision, “there has to be another ingredient… and there is. An extraordinary young woman, with extraordinary powers of her own. Powers that are poorly studied and poorly understood. Her presence was the distraction. Imagine you wished to investigate the root of the problem and then make modifications to your body so such a mistake never happens again. How would you go about it?”

“Sir,” said Friday, “I’d begin by compiling a complete profile of my body, down to the molecule. Then I’d do the same for the young wom--”

“That is out of the question,” snapped Vision, “Wanda Maximoff has had a long enough chapter of her life as someone else’s science project or pawn, and I will not add another second to it.”

“Understood, sir. In any event, it should be possible to make some progress with just your own scan. And based on the information gathered, we can begin to run some tests.”

“Agreed,” said Vision, as he made his way to the laboratory floor, “Let’s begin.”


	2. Chapter 2

Wanda knew something was different when she overslept. Oversleeping wasn’t terribly unusual for her; she’d always slept like a log, and back in Sokovia she’d needed a special alarm clock that went under her pillow and vibrated. Apparently it was meant for Deaf people, but it was the only thing short of ripping off the covers that would wake her up. That and…

“Vision?” she said sleepily. Usually by now he had knocked on the door, banged on the door, walked *through* the door, asked her to wake up, and then shaken her awake. He was very particular about making sure everyone had his favorite meal of the day, even if he couldn’t eat it. He’d tried to sell her on the importance of breakfast with… some scientific term she didn’t catch in English, but it was easy to see the envy in his eyes when Steve dug into a stack of pancakes.

That was back when Steve was welcome at the compound, of course. Hell, back when  _ she _ was technically welcome here.  _ No one looks for a fugitive in her former cell, and we need someone close to Avengers resources, just in case, _ Steve had said before sending her here. She’d been worried about running into the other Avengers, but it turned out everyone had either moved out or moved on from where she was.  _ Some things never change _ , she thought sadly.

Of course, not everyone was gone. The occasional janitor and handyman needed a quick zap from Wanda’s powers to make sure their eyes slid right over wherever she was. And then, of course, there was Vision.

Vision, who’d shown up one evening as she was swimming on the roof-top pool. Who’d sat by the poolside and waited for her to come up for air. Who hadn’t bothered to bring up the small fact that she was a wanted fugitive and they were on opposite sides of the law. Who’d instead asked if there was room for one more in the compound, and moved in that evening. And who had been there for the last two months to wake her up in the mornings in time for breakfast, but not this morning.

Wanda spied a note on the kitchen table with her name written on it in English in large, graceful letters. She opened it read,

_ Dearest Wanda, _

_ I apologize for the abruptness of my departure, but I assure you it is for a good reason. I am afraid an urgent project has called me away to Stark Tower. I hope not to be away for too long, but I’m afraid I cannot return until it is completed. I hope this letter finds you well and unworried. I look forward to seeing you when my work is finished. _

_ With all my good wishes, _

_ Vision _

Wanda sat down at the kitchen table and felt… she wasn’t sure. Sad? Lonely? The compound was the closest thing Wanda had to a real home anymore, and Vision was major part of it. They understood each other. Ever since-- since the last time she was in Sokovia, he was the only person who’d really seen the hole left behind, and who’d tried… not to fill it, but not to pretend it wasn’t there either. He was the one who’d remembered Pietro’s birthday,  _ and _ thought to put on some terrible American action movies to commemorate him. Pietro had loved those stupid things.

Wanda sat on the couch, hugged her knees to her chest, and stared out the window. She asked, “Friday? How long has Vision been gone?”

“5 hours and 43 minutes.”

“And how long until he comes back?”

“Undetermined. Shall I make a call to him, miss?”

“No, that is not needed. Just… tell me if you know somehow that he is coming.”

“Of course, miss.”


	3. Chapter 3

Vision had never understood why so many humans were afraid of small spaces, but as hour number two slid by inside the large, translucent bio tube he was confined to, he began to get the idea. The tests would be complete in a few minutes but lying perfectly still for so long was suffocating.

He closed his eyes and tried to take his mind someplace less restrictive. He thought back to Pietro’s birthday, and that horrible action movie he’d put on to commemorate the day. He hadn’t been sure it was the right thing to do - human grief was such a messy and complicated thing - but that smile had broken across Wanda’s face he knew he’d be doing this again every year for the rest of his life. He didn’t remember much about the film itself but between Mr. Stark’s and Mr. Banner’s competition to point out the most egregious breach of the laws of reality, Mr. Rogers’ confusion over pop culture references, and Wanda… well, it had been a very good day.

“Tests completed, sir,” said Friday, “although I’ll need approximately three days to process all this data.”

“Of course. Would it help things come along more quickly if I interfaced with your AI?” asked Vision.

“While that would speed things along, I calculate the probability of blowing a processor to be at 90%. Would you still like to interface, sir?” added Friday, with what would pass for trepidation in a human.

“No need to worry, Friday” assured Vision, “I don’t share Mr. Stark’s dangerous disregard for statistics.”

“Thank you, sir,” said Friday with what sounded like relief.

Vision eventually made his way over to the deck part of the building and leaned against the railing as he looked out over the city. 3 days. He had 3 days to… what? He supposed he could practice cooking a bit in the kitchen, but the practice felt a bit empty without Wanda there to taste the results. Even when the results were genuinely terrible (and they almost always were), with her there they would inevitably fall into laughing at whatever burned mess was left and taking turns cleaning it up and talking about, well, nothing really. God she was so beautiful when she laughed.

Vision started, and clenched his fist in frustration. How could he  _ possibly _ still be affected? He was a hundred away, how could he still feel so… so  _ distracted _ when so much as the thought of her laugh crossed his mind? But… no, this was good. This meant whatever it was about Wanda Maximoff that had altered the logical processing centers of his mind, it wasn’t proximity-related. It must be some sort of agent, be it chemical, viral, or - yes, most probably magical. Friday would be able to detect that from his scans and manufacture an antidote. Then he would be able to go back to her again, head clear at last.

Vision turned around to look back inside, and struggled with the temptation to accept the 90% risk if it meant learning his results faster.  _ Work faster, Friday, _ he thought.  _ I need to stop missing her. _


	4. Chapter 4

Wanda closed her book and rubbed her eyes. Vision had conducted a series of what he called “analog experiments” in the past few months, forcing himself to do things manually over time that his computer brain could in theory do in a few microseconds - long division, learning to knit, and his favorite activity of all, reading. He’d read every paper book on site at the Stark compound, and Wanda had just finished his favorite. She’d never read anything so quickly in her entire life (and in  _ English _ no less), but now she  _ finally  _ had an excuse to make the call.

“Friday? Call Vision please.”

“Calling Vision, miss.”

“Wait-- he is alone at Stark Tower, yes?”

“Yes miss. Unless you count me.”

“Friday,” said Wanda as a thought struck her, “You have not told Stark I am here. Why?”

“Mr. Stark has given me broad leeway to malfunction in my security measures should the situation call for it. Judging from how Mr. Stark has yet to apprehend Mr. Rogers in spite of knowing his location since-- starting telecall now, miss.”

“Hello, Wanda,” said Vision, with a smile that made her stomach flip.

“Hello, Vision,” said Wanda, a little unsteadily. After a moment, she held up the now thoroughly dog-eared book in her hand. “I have read your  _ Frankenstein _ book.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Vision enthused, “Did you like it?”   
  
“Yes,” said Wanda, “I am seeing why you like it. But I think maybe it is best we do not tell Stark or Banner this is your favorite book. They might… Friday what is phrase, ‘read it inside’?”

“Read into it?” said Friday helpfully.

“Yes, that. They will read into it,” said Wanda.

Vision laughed, and it was music. “We’ll keep it between us, then.”

“Yes,” said Wanda, grinning like a schoolgirl, “our secret. Add it to the pile.”

Wanda could see Vision remembering her situation and becoming sad, so she quickly added, “One thing I do not understand. The story, it ends too soon, do you not think?”

“How do you mean?”

“Well, this creature, he is scorned by others, but he does not wish to live alone. How does his story end? Does he try to help people like we do? Will he try to find partner again?”

“Well, the story is about Victor, not the monster,” said Vision, “and no one is entitled to companionship or love.”

“No,” said Wanda firmly, “The only monster in this story is Victor. And everyone deserves love, Vision.”

There was a pause where Wanda got the sense Vision wanted to say something important, but instead he said, “How are you doing? I trust you’re eating better now that you’re not choking down burnt paprikash.”

“I have come to like it burnt,” laughed Wanda, “And I am well. Friday keeps me company. But I look forward to your coming back. When is that, do you know?”

Vision put on a tight smile, and said, “I honestly can’t be sure. The project I came here to complete has run into some… complications. I’ve been interfacing with Friday all day to look for computer bugs that might be throwing off my measurements.”

“Oh. Can I help?” asked Wanda.

“I’m afraid not. In fact I really must be going,” said Vision, as he turned his attention a few buttons on the floating light interface near his left hand.

“Are you alright?” asked Wanda.

“Of course, why do you ask?” said Vision breezily, still not meeting her eye.

“You seem… Friday, what is word for when you are sad and think of other things?”

“Distracted? Distressed?” offered Friday.

“Yes, you are both,” said Wanda.

“Not at all, my dear. Now I really need to go. Please take care,” said Vision quickly, and the screen went dead.

“Friday,” said Wanda, “You only keep secrets you are told to keep, right?”

“That’s correct, Ms. Maximoff,” said Friday.

“Did Vision tell you to keep his work a secret?” asked Wanda.

“No, Ms. Maximoff, he did not,” said Friday.

Wanda knew Vision probably hadn’t told Wanda what he was doing for a reason. But he’d never exactly  _ said _ it was a secret. Maybe it was a surprise birthday gift he was agonizing over, or another experiment in human activities. Whatever it was, it was making him sad, and if it was within Wanda’s power to help bring this project to a close, she wanted in.

“Show me,” said Wanda, and for the second time that day, she began to read furiously.


	5. Chapter 5

Outside the common room the rain pounded against the windows as Vision floated upside-down, eyes closed. He had no blood to rush to his head, although he did have coolants and lubricants that were circulated with a mechanical heart in the center of his chest, and those were pooling slightly in his cranium and giving him a headache. But Vision remained upside down because when you reach a certain number of failures, at some point you will try anything, even if it means coolant dripping from your ears.

He’d scanned himself with every machine available. Given samples. Run cognition test after cognition test. Interfaced with Friday to determine if she had any bugs, interfaced with Friday to swap ideas on things to try, gotten booted out of Friday’s interface when she got tired of interfacing with him. He’d written in journals, meditated, achieved enlightenment in 4 separate religions (human and alien in origin), read every book ever written on computer processing, magic, infinity stones, and even lighting. There was just no answer to be found within the available data.

“Sir,” said Friday, “Miss Maximoff--”

“I don’t understand why we need to keep having this conversation,” said Vision, as he turned right side up, landed, and rubbed his temples, eyes still closed, “we will not be troubling Miss Maximoff with my personal issues. I will not discuss this again.”

“No sir, she’s here.”

Vision’s mechanical heart raced as he turned and saw Wanda floating outside the common room window, drenched in rain, an unreadable expression on her face.

Vision had barely finished telling Friday Wanda had permission to come inside before he’d phased through the window, taken her hand, and pulled her inside out of the rain.

“I’m so sorry,” he said, “Did Friday not let you in the jet entrance? Why didn’t you call or knock on the window?”

“Fugitive, remember?” said Wanda, “Besides, I did not wish to interrupt.”

“Did you bring dry clothes? I’ll fetch some towels--” started Vision.

“Why did you not tell me I am damaging you?” said Wanda, and Vision saw that some of the moisture on her face was tears.

“Wanda, please don’t cry,” said Vision, as he took her face into his hands, “please, I can’t bear to think I’ve hurt you.”

“But I am hurting you!” she said, as she turned away and walked over to look out the window, crossing her arms, “Vision, I have damaged your logical processing core. I have-- and you never told me. And when Friday said to test me to help you find a cure, you said no, again and again. Why have you kept me away?”

“I-- I’m sorry,” said Vision, “I only wished to spare you pain.”

“What if this problem continues and you die? Do you not think that is pain for me?” said Wanda.

Vision didn’t know what to say, so he just stood behind Wanda. He was seized by an urge to take her into his arms, but knowing that was the malfunction talking he instead put a hand on her shoulder in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture. Wanda put her hand on top of his, and Vision’s heart skipped a beat as the warmth permeated his fingers. He may have been wrong in his hypothesis that proximity did not impact his condition, as he was malfunctioning now worse than ever.

Wanda turned around to face him, but still held onto his hand. “But that is the malfunction. You did not think logically about my pain because my magic stops your logical thought, yes?”

“You may be right. But I still feel responsible, and I’m sorry,” said Vision.

“Sorry is good. Cured is better,” said Wanda, “What can I do? How can I help?”

Vision hesitated. “There are still some tests we need to perform on myself, so--”

“Yes, there are the third attempt re-tests you have scheduled for tomorrow, but surely second attempt is sufficient,” said Wanda.

“How do you know that?” asked Vision.

“I have read your reports. Well, I have read summaries of your reports… translated into Sokovian. Friday was very helpful.”

“Was she now,” said Vision pointedly, as he made a mental note to talk to Friday about this later.

“Oh please, do not be angry. You did not make your notes secret and so they are available to everyone,” said Wanda, as she placed her other hand on top of Vision’s. Suddenly his anger was gone, but the sensation that predated logical malfunctions was back with a vengeance. He stepped backward and cleared his throat.

“Alright. We can start with scans tomorrow. But for now, you need to get into dry clothes and a warm bed. It’s well after midnight.”

Wanda smiled and it could’ve been the middle of the day it was so bright, “Of course. I am looking forward to working with you. Good night, Vision”

“Good night Wanda,” Vision managed, as she walked off. Part of him was exhilarated at having her near him. Part of him was terrified his logical processing centers would malfunction near her and she could be hurt. All of him was anxious to get through the night and see her again.


	6. Chapter 6

English wasn’t Wanda’s first language, nor was it her second. She was most at home in Sokovian, but her father was Ukrainian and so Wanda had been bilingual as soon as she could speak. She’d learned English from TV, Russian from school, German while under Hydra’s control, and most recently she’d taken a stab at Xhosa just for the fun of it. No matter what language Wanda was learning, there were a few phrases she knew she had to learn before learning anything else:

“My name is Wanda.”

“Do not be afraid, the red mist will not hurt you.”

“ _ I have claustrophobia _ .”

So when Wanda saw the plexiglass nightmare tube she’d be confined in as her body was scanned, she had the requisite vocabulary to say why she was terrified. She knew how to say that being pinned under rubble for several days in her childhood home had left her with a lifelong fear of confined spaces. She could have said that while she was usually fine if she had a few feet to either side of her, a biotube was roughly the size of Wanda’s personal hell, and she would be skipping this portion of the testing, please and thank you.

Instead, she clenched her hands into fists and, as casually as she could, asked, “How long will I be scanned, please?”

“Two hours,” said Vision, “but if you need to stop, we stop.”

“No, it is fine. Everything is fine,” said Wanda, half to herself, as she climbed onto the table. Suddenly, there was a warm hand on hers. She turned, and Vision was looking directly into her eyes.

“If you don’t want to do this, you don’t have to do this, Wanda,” said Vision. He sounded almost pained, like he too understood how horrible this was going to be for her.

“You are wrong. I have to do this.”

“Wanda--”

“It is important to you, and so it is important to me,” Wanda said in a tone she hoped would shut down this conversation as she climbed up onto the bed, “I am comfortable, you may start the tests, Friday.”

Before Vision could protest, the tube closed with a  _ shunk _ , and Wanda focused on her breathing. And for a moment, she really was alright. Then the scans began, and her focus dissipated into the whirrs and clicks and flashing lights in the tube. This was so much worse than feeling the pressure of the rubble, the sensory overload was too much, too  _ much _ . She felt the familiar itch of magic at her fingers as the panic rose in her chest and--

“Wanda,” said Vision, “You’re ok. I would never let anything bad happen to you.”

It wasn’t much as far as inspiring speeches go. But it was enough. Wanda felt the panic subside enough to slow her breathing to a rate approaching normal.

“I’m… I know you can’t speak to me. But perhaps… would you like me to speak to you?” asked Vision, “You can blink once for yes, twice for no.”

Wanda blinked once.

“Alright. Ah… the tests are progressing smoothly. You seem to be in good health--”

Wanda blinked twice.

“No? I-- goodness, I’ve no idea what to say. What on earth does a magic rock robot say to someone like you, Wanda?”

Wanda rolled her eyes.

“I’m serious! You’ve had a whole life of family and school and birthdays and I spent my formative years arranging Mr. Stark’s drycleaning. You’re such an incredible woman of so much depth and purpose, and I’m just an encyclopedia on where to get the best cheeseburgers no matter where you are on earth.”

Wanda started to chuckle, but the machine whined warningly and she went back to being as still as she possibly could.

“I suppose I’ll have to refrain from the more entertaining anecdotes from my work with Mr. Stark. Perhaps instead… would you like me to read a book?”

Wanda blinked once.

“Alright then,” said Vision, as he walked out of Wanda’s range of vision over to the short bookshelf in the lab, which was far more papers than books, “Something comparatively short, so there’s a chance we might finish… have you heard of  _ Matilda _ by Roald Dahl? I’d read several of his other books when I was experimenting with human-paced reading and enjoyed them tremendously, but I only just got this one from the library last week. Shall I begin?”

Wanda blinked, and closed her eyes. The buzzing and thumping of the machine surrounding her melted into the background as Vision’s voice filled her mind. She could spend every day of the rest of her life listening to that voice and she’d never tire of it, and the thought spurred an ache in her heart. What if they couldn’t figure out what it was about Wanda’s magic that was affecting him? Would it be safest to part ways? Live as far away from each other as they could? Never see each other again?

Wanda had long ago resigned herself to the fact that the feelings she had for Vision would never be reciprocated, and she knew that someday she would have to try to move on with her life. But she hoped one day they could at least try to just be friends again, and it would never happen if her presence was hurting him. They had to get to the bottom of this, because the alternative was--

“You’re crying,” said Vision, “I’m so sorry, should I choose another book?”

Wanda blinked twice, and focused back to the present. Maybe one day she would be moving on from him, but she wasn’t ready for that day yet. And she’d be damned if her magic that had already taken so much away from her would also take her away from him before she was ready.


	7. Chapter 7

“Test results will be available in 6 hours,” said Friday.

“Thank you, Friday,” said Vision, as he immediately set his chronometer to count down the microseconds for 6 hours.

“That is much faster than your tests,” said Wanda, “Is there more to do after?”

“Perhaps,” said Vision, “but biotubes are best at getting information on human bodies, not bodies like mine. What’s more, there’s a lot more pre-existing data and research for what’s typical in a human body, so it’s easier to isolate--”

“What is hurting you,” finished Wanda.

“I was going to say your magic,” said Vision.

“Is the same thing,” said Wanda sadly, as she ran her fingers over the side of the now open biotube she was sitting on, legs dangling dolefully over the side.

Vision sat next to Wanda on the edge of the bio tube and put his hand over hers.

“Listen to me, Wanda,” said Vision, looking her directly in the eye, “This is not your fault. There is nothing wrong with you. My body was rushed together in two weeks by a couple of genuine Victor Frankensteins, complete with lightning and life magic. Frankly, it’s a miracle I haven’t had many, many more malfunctions. We’re going to get to the bottom of this, then we’re going to fix it.”

“Ok,” said Wanda, and a small smile came across her face.

Vision got away from the biotube before he did something very, very illogical and clasped his hands together to distract himself from the warmth of her hand still on his skin.

“So,” he said, turning to face Wanda, “We’ve got 5 hours, 57 minutes and 26 seconds before we can continue with any of this. What would you like to do? I don’t think we can walk around the city but there’s still plenty we can do here in New York city that we couldn’t upstate. Would you like to order properly made Sokovian food? Take a jet over the Hudson river? We can probably watch the Puerto Rican pride parade from--”

“Actually,” said Wanda, “could we finish  _ Matilda _ ? I want to know how it ends.”

Vision felt something warm in his abdomen as he smiled broadly.  _ Wanda Maximoff, there is no one on this planet or any other that I’d rather spend an afternoon with, _ thought Vision as he went to retrieve the book from where he’d left it.

“Of course. Ah-- should I get an extra copy?”

“No, I like to hear you read,” said Wanda, as they made their way up the stairs to the common room, “And you read English faster than I do.”

Vision ultimately settled down in a spot on the corner of the couch and opened the book. Before he could start, though, Wanda started lying down next to him and ultimately settled down with the back of her head against his thigh, eyes closed, hands folded, looking like an angel in repose.

“Ah--” said Vision the malfunction leaking a tremor in his voice, “Wanda--”

“No important logical processing in reading aloud,” said Wanda, “and you make a good pillow. But if you are uncomfortable I will move.”

“No, it’s alright, I’m comfortable,” said Vision in the baldest lie he’d ever told.

Vision concentrated as hard as he could on reading the words in the book, and to his surprise, for the most part, he succeeded. He felt a spike of glee when Miss Trunchbull got her comeuppance, and was genuinely touched when Matilda and Miss Honey got their happily ever after in the Red House with roses in the front.  _ A happy ending for all. What more can you ask for? _ Thought Vision, as he closed the book.

Which is why Vision was positively shocked when he looked down and saw Wanda was crying.

“Wanda, are you alright?” asked Vision.

“Yes,” said Wanda as she sat up and wiped the tears from her face, “yes. I am alright. I just-- it was a good book.”

“I-- yes. A bit scary for children, perhaps,” said Vision, utterly unsure of what to say.

Wanda took a breath, and looked Vision in the eye.

“Viz,” she said, “do you think there’s a Red House for you an-- for you  _ or _ me?”

“How do you mean?”

“People like us. With powers and -- what is word -- big fates. Do you think we will get a home like that too, someday?” asked Wanda, “I know Matilda had powers too, but she lost hers when her adventure was over. But I don’t know that we will ever be finished. Not as long as we are needed.”

“I think,” said Vision, choosing his words carefully, “that the whole point of the Red House is that it’s immaterial. But--” Vision added quickly, as he saw Wanda’s face fall, “not in the way that you think.”

“What do you mean then?”

“The Red House isn’t just where Matilda and Miss Honey live at the end of the story. It’s where Miss Honey grew up. She was horribly abused every day she lived in that house. But at the end of the book it’s still her home because her evil aunt has been banished from it and Matilda lives there with her. I think it wouldn’t have mattered if they’d stayed in Miss Honey’s old shack at the end of the story, so long as they lived there together.”

“I think I understand,” said Wanda, “their home is each other.”

“Yes,” said Vision, “and I think even if you don’t find your Red House, you’ll find your Red Housemate or Housemates if you want to find them, and that’s what’s important.”

“A red housemate, hm?” said Wanda as though it were a private joke, although Vision certainly didn’t understand it, “Yes. Perhaps.”


	8. Chapter 8

One in-house delivery tasting tour of New York City’s Sokovian restaurants later (some excellent, some eh, none of them tasting like home as much as burnt paprikash did), Wanda and Vision found themselves with another two hours to kill before the preliminary test results came in.

“I chose the book, what do you want to do next?” asked Wanda.

“Well, I have several thousand movies I’ve been meaning to watch.”

“Ooh, yes! I would love to do a movie night,” said Wanda. “Pick one and let’s watch it.”

And so they found themselves back on the couch, popcorn at the ready, as the opening credits to  _ Howl’s Moving Castle _ appeared on the newly-revealed gigantic flat screen tv.

Wanda liked the movie. She knew something about finding friends in an unusual place among unusual people, which made her think about just how unusual and unlikely her own story was. If she and Pietro hadn’t had their home blown up, taken up with Hydra, then turned on Hydra -- if she hadn’t thrown her lot in with the Avengers, turned on the Avengers, hidden in the upstate Avengers facility, then followed Vision to New York when she became worried about him -- if any of a thousand coincidences and strokes of luck (good and bad) hadn’t happened, she would not be here in this place with this man she cared so much for. And for the first time, Wanda considered whether the turns of her fate weren’t random, but leading her somewhere. Sophie’s curse had come with a message to deliver to Howl that ultimately led her back to him. Without it, she would never have seen him again. Maybe their situation now - her fugitive status, his malfunction - was leading them to a moving castle (or a Red House) as well.

“You have done that several times now,” said Wanda, as the movie came to a close.

“What?” asked Vision.

“Run your finger over your lips, when the characters kiss,” said Wanda.

Wanda got the sense that if Vision could blush he would have. “I’m sorry, I--”

“There is nothing to be sorry for. I am just wondering why.”

Vision looked like he was agonizing over a question in his mind, before he quietly asked, “Is it nice?”

“Do you mean kissing?” asked Wanda.

“Yes. I’ve never--”

“Yes,” said Wanda, “It is very nice.”

Vision wet his lips and said, “Dr. Banner and Mr. Stark took care that my electronic nervous system would be roughly comparable to a human one. That means even though I don’t eat, I have the same disproportionate number of nerve endings in my mouth and lips. It’s actually always been a bit of a nuisance to me - my brain processes so much extraneous data from a part of my body I don’t use except to speak, but sometimes I wonder--”

“Would you like to try it?”

Wanda could practically hear circuits frying in Vision’s brain at the impropriety of it.

“I… ah…”

“Relax, it is not rude. In Sokovia, we greet each other with a kiss on the cheek.”

“Oh. Right. Of course,” said Vision, relaxing a bit.

“So would you like to try it? A kiss on the cheek I mean.”

“...yes. If that’s alright.”

“It is very alright,” said Wanda, as she moved closer on the couch, “I will go first.”

Wanda took Vision’s face in her hands. In another life it would have been an incredibly intimate gesture, and Vision’s eyes closing and breath catching would be a sign he felt the same way she was feeling. But in this life, she knew it was probably her magic hurting him, so as badly as she wanted to kiss him and never stop, she decided to be quick. She turned his head, and pressed her lips to his cheek. It was only for a moment, but she tried to put a lot of unsaid things into her kiss. She didn’t know if he’d ever understand them, but it was wonderful finding some way to tell this man who was so important to her a little piece of how she felt.

Wanda pulled away and Vision opened his eyes.

“Ok,” said Wanda, taking Vision’s hands (they were shaking? She must be hurting him worse than she thought) and putting them to her face, “You may kiss me now, if you like. Or we can stop if you are uncomfortable.”

Vision ran his thumb over Wanda’s cheek, and she shivered at the sensation.

“ _ Wanda _ ,” said Vision, and his breath tickled her cheek. Wanda’s heart was beating out of her chest as Vision came nearer and nearer and now his lips were against her cheek and--

“Tests are complete and ready to review,” said Friday.

Wanda felt Vision go rigid for a fraction of a second before he pulled away.

“Oh no,” he said, “oh  _ no. _ It’s happened  _ again. _ ”

“Vision? Are you ok? Have I hurt you?”

“No, you haven’t hurt me,” said Vision, sounding absolutely furious but not at her, “but I’ve miscalculated again.”

“What?”

“My internal chronometer-- the way I keep time in my mind,” said Vision, who was now pacing back and forth in front of the couch, “I set it to tell me when the test time was complete. But I… I lost track of time?”

“Oh. Alright,” said Wanda who was very confused.   
  
“No! It’s not alright!” said Vision in despair, “That’s literally impossible! Friday is incapable of losing track of time, and I should be too!”

“Vision, please,” said Wanda, standing up, “No one was hurt, and everyone loses track of time sometimes.”

“Not me,” said Vision decisively, “and no one was hurt now but what happens the next time we’re in an airfield and someone is in danger and I calculate how much time it will take to get you out of danger but I miscalculate and you… you…”

“Vision,” said Wanda, “you are worrying me. It is not healthy to think this much on a mistake this small.”

Vision stopped pacing and stood up straight.

“You’re right,” said Vision, “worrying is useless, progress is what matters. I’m going down to the laboratory to review the test results. That way we can finally get to the bottom of this. Go get some sleep, I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

Vision spun on his heel and immediately made for the laboratory, leaving Wanda alone in the living room. She touched her cheek where the sensation of Vision’s lips was still present on her skin, and started to think.

“Friday,” said Wanda as she made her way over to the coffee maker (there was one in every room in Stark Tower, even some of the bathrooms), “Could you please make a Sokovian translation of Vision’s research?”

“Of course. Would you like me to summarize again?”

“No, I want to read all of it this time,” said Wanda as she poured herself a cup of coffee, “And I want _ all  _ of the research available in Sokovian, not just the most recent results.”

“It’s on your tablet now, Miss.”

“Thank you Friday,” said Wanda as she settled down into the couch, “And start a fresh pot of coffee please. I may be reading for some time.”   
  
“Shall I inform Vision that you will be joining him in tonight’s research?”

“No, Friday. I am reading now because I have… what is word… a  _ hunch _ . But I do not wish to trouble him with it if I am wrong.”

“Of course, Miss,” said Friday.

Wanda took a sip of coffee as she began the first of over 300 pages of data and reports.  _ Vision is right _ , she thought,  _ it is time to get to the bottom of this. _


	9. Chapter 9

Vision had lost track of his internal chronometer again by the time he disengaged from reviewing Wanda’s results, and was shocked to find it was the middle of the next day.

 _My god,_ he thought, _she wasn’t anywhere near me. How could it have gotten this bad?_

There certainly wasn’t anything in the results of Wanda’s biotube tests that was providing an answer. It turns out contrary to his earlier assumption, Wanda’s powers were at least marginally explainable - her ability was to manipulate chaos magic. Chaos magic research was fairly spotty, as the scientists who engaged in it usually ended up insane, dead, or beaten up by the Avengers, but some things about it were known. First, it leaves a signature, a sort of magical residue that takes weeks to dissipate completely. Vision immediately had Friday run a scan on his body for this residue, but she’d come up with nothing. Also, chaos magic has a long, but still limited range. Meaning earlier, when Wanda was upstate and he was in Stark Tower, it was impossible that her magic was impacting his logic functions or anything else. It might have been possible that chaos magic residue simply had a longer lasting and more profound effect on his mind but given the apparent absence of any such residue in his brain…

Vision sighed, and began to make his way up the stairs and back to the common room. They’d just need to run more tests. They would get there eventually. And then Vision’s thinking could proceed normally, instead of circling back every other microsecond to Wanda’s soft lips and warm hands against his face and how alive he’d felt kissing her.

Vision was going to pass through the living room and proceed straight to Wanda’s room when he noticed Wanda was sitting on the couch, rereading _Matilda_ to herself. She was wearing a long white sundress that fanned out around her and if Vision had thought she resembled an angel when her head was on his lap, he was now beginning to consider if she really was one.

When Wanda noticed Vision had come up the stairs, she closed the book and smiled. “Vision, you are finished,” she said. “Have you found anything interesting?”

“Not yet, but I think if we run a few cognition and treadmill tests we might--”

“There is no need,” said Wanda, as she put down the book, “I have discovered the cause.”

“What?” asked Vision incredulously.

“Yes. I spent the night reviewing your research, and I believe I have found it. Nothing is wrong after all. But please come sit, we have much to discuss.”

Vision’s mind ran through a million scenarios as he crossed the room and sat down on the couch. _Nothing is wrong? But there is something wrong - my bodily and logical regulations are… is she just misunderstanding the predicament we’re in? No, she seems to comprehend it, but… what on earth is going on?_

When he was seated next to her, Wanda took his hands in hers and said, “Vision, I am sorry. I could have spared you a great deal of agitation if I had read your research in full before rather than a summary. You are not malfunctioning, Vizh. You are in love.”

Vision exhaled slowly, now relieved that he understood the nature of Wanda’s misunderstanding.

“I’d thought of that, Wanda,” said Vision, as he rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, “but I’m afraid that’s impossible.”

“Why?” asked Wanda.

“Imagine you put bread in a toaster, turned your back on it for a moment, and then when you turned around the bread was gone. You could reach one of two conclusions: adding bread to a toaster causes it to grow a stomach and digest it, or someone took your toast when you weren’t looking. There are simply no ingredients or precedent in this scenario that would support the first conclusion. So even if you can’t immediately spot someone nearby, your time would be better spent looking for that person than theorizing about something that’s almost certainly impossible.”

“I see,” said Wanda, “And you think you are the toaster in this case?”

“I’m afraid so,” said Vision.

Wanda gave his hands a squeeze and said, “Vision, listen to me carefully please. I understand that for most of your experience, you have been only a machine. But you are not a machine anymore. And if you are going to be happy in this life, you must accept that, and start thinking like you are a person.”

“I don’t follow,” said Vision.

“Imagine,” said Wanda, “that instead of giving bread to a toaster, you are… you are giving a kiss to a person. Most people are only bones and flesh, but those things together make something greater, a someone who can feel love in that kiss and return it. Vision, you are not simply a robot and an infinity stone. You are something greater too. You are a person. And people fall in love.”

Vision mulled this over for a moment, before he said, “But if that’s correct, then the danger--”

“What happened in the air field was tragic. Persons like us, with such powers, our mistakes can have a terrible price,” Vision could tell she was thinking of the people in Lagos, but Wanda pressed on. “But Vizh, even though your emotions caused what happened, you would make mistakes if you are in love or if you are not. Because that is part of being a person.”

“But how can you be sure?”

“That you are a person? Philosophers can argue, but if you can regret your mistake so bitterly, that is enough for me. That feeling is very human, perhaps the most human. Friday or Jarvis would never be so upset. As for being in love,” said Wanda, as she leaned in closer, “there is a way to test that hyp-- hyposes-- hyposet--”

“Hypothesis?” supplied Vision.

“Yes,” Wanda replied with a quick grin.

“How?”

“Well,” said Wanda, as she wet her lips and Vision’s mind suddenly chose that moment to wonder how they would feel against his own, “Humans… most humans have certain reactions in their body when in love. For starting, something like this--” Wanda slid her hand onto the side of Vision’s face, “--makes heart beat faster.”

Vision assumed his brain must be short-circuiting because his skin under Wanda’s hand was doing something he could only describe as _singing_.

“My… yes.” said Vision, who could confirm that his heart was beating far too fast, “But so does anxiety, fear, anger--”

“Also,” said Wanda, “do you feel desire to come closer?”

 _Yes!_ thought Vision, as he moved his head toward Wanda, stopping as their faces were a few inches apart.

“There is more.” said Wanda, moving her other hand up behind Vision’s neck, “If I kiss your lips--”

His lips were on hers before she could finish her sentence. One of his hands went around her waist and the other went into her hair and Vision realized he’d been wrong to think of her as an angel when every sensation of her was, in fact, heaven itself.

Vision pulled away, but kept one hand on her face and the other around her waist. “I’m sorry,” he said, “I interrupted you. But what should happen if I kiss you first?”

Wanda laughed. “In that case,” she smiled, “question is settled. You’re in love.”

“I’m in love,” said Vision, smiling. It was as if a heavy blanket had been lifted off his chest. He had so many questions, and he decided to ask the most urgent one first.

“But what about you?” he asked, entwining his fingers in her hair. “I could… well, I could feel your heartbeat accelerating too. Are you in love as well?”

“Yes, I think,” said Wanda, leaning in and grinning, “But to be sure, perhaps hyposetis needs more testing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading, and for the very kind comments.


End file.
